Does Ecclesiastes 9:5 prove the concept of Soul Sleep?

 

“For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”

‭‭(Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬)

 

“For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.”
‭‭(Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9‬:‭5‬ ‭NASB)

 

Some use this verse to say that after death, no one will be conscious until some eschatological event in the future such as the Rapture, Second Coming, or New Heavens and New Earth. They make this statement because they believe “the dead know not any thing” shows that after death you will be in a sleeping or unconscious state. Yet, this is a misunderstanding of the verse.

 

So, what does the verse mean by “the dead know not anything”? In simplest terms it’s speaking of the physical body of the dead. In James 2 we read:

 

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

(‭‭James‬ ‭2:26‬ ‭KJV‬‬)

 

“Dead” in Greek means idle. Therefore, when a body is without a spirit it is idle and therefore not being used. In Ecclesiastes 9:5, it should be understood as referring to the body. Without a spirit and soul the body isn’t conscious and is idle. The spirit and soul go to heaven or hell depending on the salvation of the person who died.

 

Why should we take this understanding and not the understanding of the unconscious state after death in totality?

 

The problem with understanding Ecclesiastes 9:5 as referring to a persons total unconscious state after death is that Jesus rejects this in his statements. In the Gospel According to Luke Jesus states,

 

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”

‭‭(Luke‬ ‭16:22-24‬ ‭KJV‬‬)

 

Jesus here is telling a parable about a beggar who died and woke up in Abraham’s bosom (a compartment in hell that after the resurrection of Jesus is now located in heaven). Then Jesus described the death of the rich man who went to hell and Jesus didn’t describe after death this rich mans unconscious state. Instead he says that the rich man “lift up his eyes,” “seeth Abraham,” “and he cried and said,” “I am tormented.” Thus, showing someone is conscious after death and thus also shows the reality of hell.

 

What happens to a believer after death now?

 

Since Abrahams Bosom is now in heaven, after death a believer automatically goes to heaven. Paul writes about this in various epistles such as the verses below:

 

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:6-8‬ ‭KJV‬‬)

 

“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:”

(‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:23‬ ‭KJV‬‬)

 

“But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;”
‭‭(Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭23‬ ‭NASB)

 

In conclusion, the idea of Soul Sleep is heavily rejected by the Bible and the concept that Ecclesiastes 9:5 supports this theological heresy is imaginative at best.